Ex-education commissioner denies N4.5m fraud allegation

 

Immediate past Commissioner for Basic Education in Edo State, Patrick Aguinede, has denied media reports that he was sacked because of an alleged N4.5m fraud.

The report published in a national daily claimed that the former commissioner was fingered in the fraud which was the registration fee for the Junior Secondary School

certificate examination.
Speaking to reporters in his office, Aguinede explained that the state government was yet to release fund for the conduct of the examination.

Aguinede who was sacked alongside three other commissioners stated that the registration money was paid into government coffers.

According to him; “That report is misleading and damaging. Such persons should have cleared from me first. Money for the examination was not paid to me. It was paid to government.”

“Government is yet to release money for the conduct of the examination. The file was handed to the SSG for scrutiny and cost implications. Money has not been released.”

“Contractors did the job on goodwill and the examination was conducted. I don’t. Have any grudge against the governor reliving me of my appointments. He has the right to remove anybody. Nothing strange has happened. I never desired to be a commissioner. “